Two Cantina 76 managers talk culture, competition, and being part of a phenomenal organiza…

Episode description

Brandi and Adam are GMs at the first Cantina 76 location in Columbia, SC. Cantina 76 is a very popular, successful brand with five locations in South Carolina. Listen to Brandi and Adam talk about the fantastic culture within their organization, the great leadership they work under, their awesome executive chef, how they excel against their competition, building relationships with regulars, and more. They are both high energy and fun to talk to about hospitality. Enjoy...

Fran has owned iconic Fran's Filling Station in Charlotte, NC for ten years, but she's been an owner off and on since 1994. Fran and her team's mission is to fill up her guests bodies and spirits, hence the restaurant …

3-time James Beard award nominee (2017, 2081, 2019) Cheetie Kumar, chef/owner of Garland, Neptune's Parlour, and Kings in Raleigh, NC was recently profiled in the New York Times and was named as one of the 25 …

It's hard to put into words how much respect I have for Meherwan Irani. The 3x James Beard Award nominee has been so generous with his time with us over the years, including being featured in our second Restaurant …

Chai Pani Restaurant Group recently sent five team members to India for twelve days, to get a true, deep understanding of the inspiration for Chai Pani, Indian street food. Three of the team members, Isaac, Andy and …

Wow, this was fun! I sat down with Ben at Lewis Barbecue and we talked about everything from what he learned about hiring staff when he as a delivery boy at a Chinese restaurant as a teenager, to what he loves most …

When Jax director of operations Adam Reed recommended Bekah for this podcast, he said she is "epic-ally positive." Having spoken to her, I can't think of better way to put it! Bekah is new to the hospitality business, …

Two and a half years ago, Graham left the world of investment banking to become a partner at The Common Market. TCM has three locations in Charlotte, NC, each with it's own feel but all sharing the common thread of …

Wow, this was a fun experience! Kate and I sat on a coach in Bida Manda while lunch service was winding down, and we had a great conversation about her story, what she loves about hospitality, what she has learned from …

Our first episode with two people features Jonathon (GM) and Casey (Manager) of Ten Crows BBQ in South Lake Tahoe, CA. We cover a lot of topics, but one really sticks out, which is the acronym they use within their …

Erin is in Tuscaloosa, AL and manages not one, but two killer restaurants: Chuck's Fish and FIVE. These are sister restaurants, and part of a really incredible group co-owned by Cris Eddings, who has been on this …

Adam has been in the hospitality business since two weeks prior to his 16th birthday, and he's learned a ton about it over the last fourteen years. He talks about what he's learned on the job vs. what he learned while …

Mark has been in hospitality from a young age, and knew early on it was what he wanted to do for his career. He's been in the business for 18 years, he's been an owner for 8.5 years. This is a great interview from a guy …

Another passionate, enthusiastic, fun member of the team at Sweet Cow Ice Cream joined me for a great conversation on what to look for in a hospitality job, questions to ask when interviewing, the many (many, many) …

Like so many people we've had the pleasure to interview, Brandon has been in the hospitality business for his while life. And also like so many people we've interviewed, you can't listen to him talk without wanting to …

Talk about a man with conviction! Jonny and his brother Benjy started The Skinny Pancake in Burlington, VT out of a hand-made cart in 2003, and fifteen years later they have seven locations, a commissary kitchen, a …

Ray has been in the restaurant business since the 1980's, and has done everything from being the interim CEO of a large chain, to being the Executive Director of the California Restaurant Association, to owning and …

Marshall Davis spent ten years as the lead singer of a punk rock band in Los Angeles. When the band disbanded he made his swayback home to N.C. and wound up at Centro, under the tutelage of Angela Salamanca. Today he is …

Pepe Estrada's family is from Mexico. He grew up in the U.S. as an introvert who didn't have a strong appreciation for his heritage. After seven years at Centro in Raleigh under the tutelage of Angela Salamanca, he's …

Teddy Bourgeois is a bartender for Buxton Hall BBQ in Asheville, NC. He works with intention and has tons of respect for his craft and for the team he works with, and believes in supporting not only his team but the …

Ashley Reda manages Tarpon River Brewing in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. I was thoroughly impressed with his style, his grasp of what matters and why, and his dedication to his work. When I interview somebody I always ask myself …

Dennis Carter owns Ryan'S Restaurant in Winston-Salem, N.C. The restaurant opened in 1977 and Dennis was the GM. Forty-one years later, he co-owns the restaurant and oversaw it's best year ever last year (and they are …

Brad and Brent come from an entrepreneurial family. In 2003 and in their early 20's with no restaurant or bar experience, they decided to partner together and open a bar. Fifteen years and lots of trial and error later, …

Price co-founded Truffles Cafe in Hilton Head Island, SC in 1983. Thirty-five years later, he has two Truffles locations and two Chow Daddy's locations. He treats his team like family, leads by example, and is having a …

Katharine works for Three Brothers Wineries & Estates in Geneva, NY (https://www.3brotherswinery.com). She wears many hats at this unique place, and it was really fun to hear the progression of her career over the …

The Cone is a landmark location in West Chester, OH, that opened in 1995 with a 30-foot tall ice cream cone building, and it has been creating smiles with it's fresh, high quality soft serve ice cream ever since. Keith …

Dameda has been in the restaurant business off and on for many years, and last year became the GM of Comida (www.eatcomida.com) in Denver, her first time as a GM. It was fun talking to Dameda about her goals, as well as …

Chester owns Fudpucker's (www.fudpucker.com) in Destin FL. He started it in 1982 as a snack bar in a nightclub, and today it's a destination in Destin, an institution that has over 300 employees and everything from a …

Jeremiah Higgins is president of HJL Hospitality and has been in the business for thirty years, starting as a dishwashing teenager who worked his way up to GM in just over a year. Ever since, he's had a knack for …

Joanne Dragonowski owns several restaurants in Wisconsin with her brother and sister. The story started in 1951 when their parents opened their first place, and it continues today with four of the seven children still …

I'm going to start offering my thoughts on something an owner said during an interview that struck and chord with me and stood out the next day as my biggest takeaway. These will be short, concise episodes. Enjoy...

Cody is Director of Operations and co-owner of Grassburger (https://www.eatgrassburger.com), which has locations in Durango, CO and Albuquerque, NM. Cody has tremendous passion for learning and growing as manager and …

Karen had her own graphic design and web design business for twelve years. One day in 2008 she was sitting on a beach in Belize with her husband, and realized she was tired of helping build other people's …

Tom started his pizzaria in 1983, and thirty-five years late it's still thriving in the small town of Ravenna, OH. His passion for his business is contagious, and you'll learn how his single-location restaurant has …

Charlie started washing dishes at age 14 in Buffalo, NY and soon fell in love with the hustle and bustle of the restaurant world. After leaving Buffalo for what he thought was for good many years ago and finding success …

Steve started working in a restaurant when he was 13 and has been at at for almost 35 years. Today he owns The Indigo Road Restaurant Group in Charleston, S.C. with seven concepts and 13 locations. Here's his story...

Jess Killeen and her husband Ed own Grassburger, with locations in Durango, CO, and Albuquerque, NM. What started as a transition to grass fed beef for they family of five led to the the couple opening the first …

Meherwan Irani got an MBA and spent 15 years in corporate America, working for other people. He was not unhappy, but never jumped out of bed in the morning excited to head to work. So in 2009 as the economy was …

Kimberly Shingledecker started Pies & Pints along with partner David Bailey in Fayetteville, WV in 2003 in the basement of a house. By 2005 they had two-hour waits and needed to buy a building with more space. The …

Brent Bushong and his partners recently opened The Velveteen Habit, a quaint farmhouse on four acres of land, tucked into a small clearing in the woods two miles from the Maine coastline. This is not your typical …

Aaron Siegel opened the first Fiery Ron's Home Team BBQ in Charleston, SC in 2006. He opened the second location in 2009. Now, six years later, Aaron and his team are opening their third location. Aaron and I talked …

Kristian Cosentino is opening Dirty Water, a highly anticipated restaurant in San Francisco. For the first time in the Restaurant Owners Uncorked podcast series, we spoke to an owner who hasn't opened his doors yet. But …

What do a rock band member, a bar owner, a music venue owner, and a restaurant owner have in common? Cheetie Kumar, that's what. Cheetie balances all of those things, and somehow does a great job all the way around. We …

Bret Oliverio took over Sup Dogs in Greenville, NC in 2011 after his brother, who started the restaurant, tragically passed away. Bret had no restaurant experience and had to learn everything from how to tap a keg, how …

Kenneth Cribb is one of the owners of Willy Taco in Spartanburg, S.C. and he's one of the hardest working owners I've ever come across. I had the honor filming him for our video series, and he worked his tail off all …

Scott Maitland has owned Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery in Chapel Hill, NC for nearly twenty years. He's an incredibly sharp businessman and entrepreneur, and this interview turned into what amounted to a …

Jake and his wife Shannon own Capital Club 16, one of the best and most respected restaurants in Raleigh, N.C. Jake talks about his restaurant being an extension of his home, leading by example, transitioning from …

Tad discusses why he and his partners set out to create institutions in their communities where the single unit economics work on their own, why Joe's Real BBQ gives away 6,000 free meals one day each year, why they …

Matt discusses why he hires sales people for every position in his restaurants, paying back his initial 5-year bank loan in two years, his three biggest challenges (labor, labor, and labor), why it's important to keep …